Literature Bargain Book Box 22 (18 Books)

Literature Bargain Book Box 22 (18 Books)

This diverse collection of eighteen novels brings together some of the most exciting voices in contemporary fiction. From the Booker Prize-longlisted brilliance of All the Little Bird-Hearts and The Silver Bone to the sharp wit of Sigrid Nunez and the cozy chaos of Finlay Donovan, this box is a celebration of storytelling. It spans genres and globes—taking you from 1920s Kyiv and colonial Singapore to modern-day London and the suburbs of America—exploring themes of friendship, identity, and the messy beauty of being human.

1. The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne by Freya North A nostalgic and moving coming-of-age story. Eadie Browne was always an odd child, but university in Manchester offers her a chance to reinvent herself. Years later, she must confront the past she tried to leave behind and the person she was meant to be.

2. The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh A funny and chaotic multi-generational saga. For centuries, the Duong women have been cursed to never find love or happiness. But when a psychic predicts a wedding within the year, the estranged sisters, mothers, and daughters must reunite to break the cycle.

3. The Silver Bone by Andrey Kurkov Longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024. Set in 1919 Kyiv during the chaos of the Russian Civil War, this literary mystery follows Samson, a young engineering student who loses his father and his ear in a saber attack, only to find himself conscripted into the Soviet police force.

4. Don't Look Back by Jo Spain A gripping destination thriller. Luke and Rose travel to a Caribbean island for their dream wedding, but the trip turns into a nightmare when Luke confesses a dark secret. Moments later, he is dead, and Rose is left alone to unravel the truth.

5. The Mess We're In by Annie Macmanus From the DJ and broadcaster Annie Mac. A coming-of-age story set in the vibrant music scene of early 2000s London. Orla moves to the city to make it in the music industry, but finds herself navigating a world of late nights, broken promises, and the struggle to find her own rhythm.

6. All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023. Sunday, a woman who lives by strict routines (and is implied to be autistic), is charmed by her glamorous new neighbors, Vita and Rollo. But as she falls under their spell, she risks losing the one thing she holds most dear: her relationship with her daughter.

7. Fast by the Horns by Moses McKenzie The second novel from the author of An Olive Grove in Ends. In 1980, fourteen-year-old Jabari is a Rastafarian living in a Bristol community torn apart by racial tension. When he witnesses a pivotal event, he is forced to grow up fast in a world that refuses to understand him.

8. This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things by Naomi Wood A collection of sharp, dark, and witty short stories exploring the explosive moments in women's lives—from marital breakdowns and workplace disasters to the quiet desperation of motherhood.

9. The Vegan by Andrew Lipstein A psychological satire about a wealthy hedge fund manager who, in a guilt-ridden attempt to manipulate the moral universe, decides to become a vegan. It is a strange, funny, and disturbing look at modern morality and the lies we tell ourselves.

10. The Lifeline by Libby Page A heartwarming story about the healing power of female friendship. Kate, a trend forecaster, and Phaedra, a woman grappling with a secret, meet by the river in London. Together, they start a project to bring people together, finding their own lifelines in the process.

11. Celine and Luke are the perfect couple. They’ve been together for years, they live in London, and they’re getting married in a year. The only problem is that neither of them seems entirely sure they actually like each other. As the wedding date approaches, the narrative splits between the bride, the groom, the bridesmaid, the best man, and a guest, peeling back the layers of a relationship held together by habit, performance, and the fear of being alone. Sharp, witty, and devastatingly observant, this is a modern comedy of errors about love, infidelity, and the stories we tell ourselves to get by.

12. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano The third book in the hilarious mystery series. Author and accidental contract killer Finlay Donovan heads to the police academy to dig up dirt on a hitman, juggling her writing career, her love life, and the constant threat of being arrested.

13. Small Hours by Bobby Palmer From the author of Isaac and the Egg. A father and son, estranged by a mistake in the past, find themselves awake in the small hours of the morning. As they grapple with their own demons, they begin to find their way back to each other.

14. The Fetishist by Katherine Min A posthumously published, darkly comic novel. On a cold, rainy night, three people are in a car: a grieving daughter, the man who seduced her mother, and a kidnapping victim. It’s a biting satire on Asian American stereotypes and the complexity of revenge.

15. Here Again Now by Okechukwu Nzelu A tender and lyrical novel about fatherhood and friendship. When a man dies suddenly, his best friend and his estranged father are left to pick up the pieces, forced to confront the secrets and unspoken love that bound them all together.

16. The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez A sharp, meditative novel set during the lockdown. An unlikely friendship forms between a solitary writer, a Gen Z college dropout, and a macaw named Eureka, as they navigate the strange, suspended reality of the pandemic.

17. Pathways by Katie Ward A cerebral and intricate novel about the connections between people, objects, and ideas. It weaves together the stories of a neuroscientist, a student, and a writer, exploring how our brains map the world and how we map our lives onto each other.

18. Teddy by Emily Dunlay Set in 1960s Rome and America. Teddy is the perfect diplomat's wife, but beneath the surface, her life is unravelling. A chance encounter leads her on a journey of self-discovery that threatens to destroy the carefully constructed facade of her marriage.